Joplin refuses to house Springfield prisoners in its jail

SPRINGFIELD (AP) — Joplin City Council members said they rejected a request to house Springfield municipal inmates in the local jail because of strong opposition from residents.

The Joplin Globe reported Springfield's mayor and police chief assured Joplin leaders at a meeting last week that the inmates would not be dangerous. But council members said their constituents were worried that inmates who couldn't get a ride back to Springfield would just stick around.

Springfield has had an inmate crisis since Greene County stopped accepting prisoners held on municipal charges more than a year ago.

The city's proposal would have paid Joplin $50 per inmate, per day.

Springfield's police chief has said his department has neither the authority nor responsibility to give the inmates a ride once they're out of jail.